


Finding a port in a storm.

by Aussiefan70



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7696249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aussiefan70/pseuds/Aussiefan70
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spencer is afraid of storms and contemplates which of his team mates would help the most.</p><p>My first Criminal Minds fic.<br/>Feedback welcome but please be gentle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding a port in a storm.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Susspencer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susspencer/gifts).



> In response to a prompt by Susspencer in the profilers_anon collection.
> 
> Prompt:  
> In honor of the Angst War, I would like to start THE SNOOPY WAR.  
> As you know when Snoopy would start to write it was always, It was a dark and stormy night....
> 
> I have written the first "Dark and stormy Night." So would love to see what others would shoot back, one shots.

It was a dark and stormy night.  The team was headed back to the hotel, tired but grateful to have caught the unsub before any more victims could fall.  A long eight days away from home, extended one more night because the wave of storms had closed the airport, delaying their flight until morning.

"Good job everyone.  Get some rest and we'll be on our way at 10:00 tomorrow." Hotch told the members of his unit.  In the hotel's lobby, they milled by the elevator.  Reid seemed a little nervous, fiddling with his messenger bag, and flinching slightly at the extra loud clap of thunder close by.

Spencer's brain was going a mile a minute.  What none of his team mates knew was that he was deathly afraid of storms, and he was madly running the other team members through his mind, trying to figure out who would be the best one to go to, knowing he didn't want to spend a night hiding out from storms all alone.

"Morgan's almost a big brother to me", he thought.  "But he likes to tease too much....he'd never let me live this down," he continued, dismissing his best friend as an option.  

"Rossi....I think he'd be okay with me staying but once the storm passes, I'll never get any sleep, with the way he snores!" quickly ruling out the next option.

The elevator arrived, making the decision become more critical.  Panicking slightly, Spencer moved on to consider and reject the next option rapidly.  "JJ and Emily would probably be fine with me staying, but they're already sharing a room, and JJ needs to spend her evening talking with Henry, not babying Henry's godfather".  

Disparaging himself for his fears, he considered his final option,  his team leader.  Could he do it?  He had such respect for the man, and had tried so very hard to not present himself to Hotch as the "kid" that Morgan called him so often.  Decision time hit as the elevator doors opened at the floor they were staying on, and they all started down the hallway towards their adjoining rooms.

"Umm...Hotch.  Do you have a second for me to talk with you about something?" Spencer nervously asked his boss.   
"Sure Reid, what can I do for you?" Hotch replied, as he put his key card into the lock and opened his door.  "Come on in and talk".

Entering the room, fidgeting awkwardly again, Spencer tried to find the words he needed.   
"Reid, is something wrong?", Hotch questioned his young agent.  

Reid took a deep breath and screwed up his courage.  In a sudden rush of words, he poured out, "I'm afraid of storms,  have been ever since Mom started hallucinating during one when I was 4 years old.  I know it's irrational....Astraphobia affects up to ten percent of the population and...." Spencer started to babble, letting his nerves totally take over, as he opened up to his unit chief and as another loud crack of lighting was heard in the room.

Aaron Hotchner, being a dad, instantly intuited where this conversation was headed.   
"Spencer....are you telling me you need help to get through this storm?"

Reid nodded nervously, and gulped down a swallow.  "It's helps a lot if I have someone sit with me, who lets me just keep talking until the storm passes.  If I can distract my mind, I can usually get through it and sleep afterwards".

Hotch quickly masked a small smile.  It wasn't the most bizarre thing he'd ever been asked to do, by one of his agents.  He admired the young doctor, knowing some of the history of what he'd lived through and braved.  It would be a small thing to do for a colleague and a friend.  

"Grab a seat Spencer, and pick a topic.  We can talk all night if we have to.  After all, sleep in this job is so over-rated", he responded, as Hotch settled onto the bed, preparing for a long night.  Maybe he shouldn't be so quick to deny there were days when he really was the team dad.


End file.
